Meet-And-Greet Planned For Clearwater Community Redevelopment Director

CLEARWATER, FL — The city of Clearwater Community Redevelopment Agency will host a meet-and-greet for the two CRA director finalists from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 16 at the Clearwater Main Library, 100 N. Osceola Ave.

The Community Redevelopment Agency director candidates will have the opportunity to introduce themselves to the public and then mingle with attendees.

The two CRA director candidates are Katerina Gerakios-Siren and Dr.Jennifer "Jaye" T. Matthews.

Gerakios-Siren is the city of Bradenton Community Redevelopment Agency director where she is responsible for the coordination, direction, implementation and oversight of all economic development and redevelopment programs and activities.

She has experience working closely with developers, partnering to bring forward workforce and affordable housing projects, managing contracts, grants, a $13 million budget and supporting public art initiatives.

She has two master's degrees from the University of South Florida, a master's in business administration and a master's of science in management of information systems.

She speaks three languages fluently (English, Greek and Spanish), is a graduate of Leadership Pinellas Class of 2016 and became an FRA-certified redevelopment administrator in 2015. She has lived in Clearwater for more than 20 years

Matthews serves as operations officer/development manager for the city of Baltimore Department of Housing and Community Development where she oversees the neighborhood components of HUD's Choice Neighborhoods Initiative.

She is responsible for the coordination of initiatives in the areas of economic development, infrastructure, public art and neighborhood gateway markers, public safety, recreation and parks, and the development of two new parks, an open-air amphitheater and a new 950-seat, 21st-century model elementary/middle school.

She works with elected government officials and city agency leaders, and collaborates with real estate developers (commercial and residential), partner entities, anchor institutions, area merchants and the residents of the city, to devise strategies based on the vision of city stakeholders and researches innovative methods and practices to best implement those strategies.

She holds a bachelor of science degree in biology/pre-med from Morgan State University, a master's degree in communications, both creative and strategic tracks, from Notre Dame of Maryland University and a doctor of business administration degree from Walden University.